U.S. patent number 4,538,967 [Application Number 06/486,510] was granted by the patent office on 1985-09-03 for blower.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Diesel Kiki Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Kenji Furukawa.
United States Patent |
4,538,967 |
Furukawa |
September 3, 1985 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Blower
Abstract
A blower casing has a through hole formed in an end face,
through which extends a motor which is drivingly coupled to a fan.
An annular fitting flange member is rigidly fitted on the outer
peripheral surface of the motor and joined at its peripheral edge
to a portion of the above end face of the casing surrounding the
through hole, for mounting the motor on the casing. The above
through hole of the casing has its inner peripheral surface formed
with an annular ridge which sealingly abuts against an opposed
outer peripheral surface of the fitting flange member.
Inventors: |
Furukawa; Kenji (Konan,
JP) |
Assignee: |
Diesel Kiki Co., Ltd. (Tokyo,
JP)
|
Family
ID: |
13244354 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/486,510 |
Filed: |
April 19, 1983 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 30, 1982 [JP] |
|
|
57-63959[U] |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
417/360;
403/349 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F24F
13/00 (20130101); F04D 29/626 (20130101); Y10T
403/7007 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
F24F
13/00 (20060101); F04B 017/00 (); F04B
035/04 () |
Field of
Search: |
;417/360,361,410,423R,424,350,363,366,423A ;403/348,349,288
;285/362,377,361 ;310/89 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Husar; Cornelius J.
Assistant Examiner: Cuomo; Peter M.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Frishauf, Holtz, Goodman &
Woodward
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. In a blower including a casing having a through hole formed in
one end face thereof, said through hole extending axially of said
casing and having an inner peripheral surface, a main body
including a fan arranged to be received within said casing through
said through hole, and a motor drivingly coupled to said fan and
extending axially through said through hole of the casing, said
motor having a portion thereof arranged within said casing and the
rest thereof outside said casing, a radially extending annular
flange member fitted and rigidly secured on said motor and joined
at an outer peripheral edge thereof to a portion of said one end
face of said casing surrounding said through hole, said annular
flange member having an outer peripheral surface, a first engaging
half comprising an annular wall axially projected on said one end
face and surrounding said through hole in concentricity therewith,
a plurality of first engaging protuberances extending radially
inwardly from said annular wall and circumferentially spaced from
each other, each of said first engaging protuberances cooperating
with said annular wall and a portion of said one end face
surrounding said through hole to define an engaging recess
therebetween, a second engaging half comprising a plurality of
second engaging protuberances projecting radially outwardly from
said annular flange member at an outer peripheral edge thereof and
circumferentially spaced from each other, and retaining means for
retaining said second engaging half on said first engaging half in
predetermined positional relation thereto, wherein each of said
second engaging protuberances of said second engaging half is
fitted in said engaging recess corresponding thereto to couple said
annular flange member to said casing,
the improvement comprising:
an annular ridge located on and secured to said inner peripheral
surface of said through hole of said casing and extending about a
whole circumference thereof, said annular ridge having a tip
thereof facing radially inwardly of said through hole and having
resiliency, said annular ridge having said radially inward tip
disposed in urging contact with said outer peripheral surface of
said annular flange member so that a resilient force of said
annular ridge is applied to said outer peripheral surface of said
annular flange member in a direction substantially at right angles
with the axis of said through hole, to seal a clearance between
said annular flange member and said casing; part of said annular
wall of said first engaging half being projected more radially
outward than the rest thereof and including at least one of said
first engaging protuberances, at least one of said second engaging
protuberances of said second engaging half corresponding to said at
least one first engaging protuberance being correspondingly
projected more radially outward than the other second engaging
protuberances, said at least one second protuberance cooperating
with said at least one first protuberance to locate said annular
flange member in a predetermined circumferential position relative
to said casing.
2. A blower as claimed in claim 1, wherein said annular ridge has a
substantially triangular section.
3. A blower as claimed in claim 1, wherein said annular ridge is
formed of a member formed separately from said casing.
4. A blower as claimed in claim 1, wherein said annular ridge is
formed integrally with said casing in a single piece.
5. A blower as recited in claim 1, wherein said retaining means
comprises a fitting projection formed on each of said second
engaging protuberances, and a fitting recess formed in each of said
first engaging protuberances.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to blowers adapted primarily for use in air
conditioning systems, and more particularly to sealing means for
sealing a clearance between a fitting flange for coupling the motor
to the casing and the same casing.
A conventional blower for use in air conditioning systems mainly
comprises a casing, a fan accommodated within the casing, and a
motor coupled to the fan for rotatively driving same. The motor is
disposed to penetrate a through hole formed in a rear end of the
casing. An annular fitting flange member is rigidly fitted on the
motor and joined at its outer peripheral edge to the rear end face
of the casing to rigidly couple the motor to the casing.
In such conventional blower, sealing means is provided for sealing
the clearance between the fitting flange member and the casing,
which is formed by discrete members formed of a material such as
urethane. Such discrete or separately formed sealing members are
applied between the fitting flange member and the casing when the
blower is assembled. Therefore, it does not only require preparing
such discrete sealing members, but also requires application of
such sealing members to the sealing places each time each blower is
assembled. Thus, it takes much time to assemble the blower.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a blower for air
conditioning systems, which is provided with sealing means formed
integrally on the casing to supersede the aforementioned special
discrete sealing members, thereby being reduced in the number of
component parts and curtailing the time required for the
assemblage, that is, for the mounting of the motor onto the
casing.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a blower for air
conditioners, which can obtain accurate centering of the motor with
respect to the casing with ease, thereby achieving the supply of a
required amount of blown air, with accuracy.
The present invention provides a blower including a casing having a
through hole formed in one end face thereof, a main body having a
fan accommodated within the casing and a motor drivingly coupled to
the fan and extending through the above through hole of the casing,
and an annular flange member fitted and rigidly secured on the
motor and joined at its outer peripheral edge to a portion of the
one end face of the casing surrounding the through hole. The blower
is characterized in that the above through hole of the casing has
its inner peripheral surface formed with an annular ridge extending
through its whole circumference. The annular ridge has its tip
disposed in sealing contact with an outer peripheral surface of the
flange member to thereby seal the clearance between the flange
member and the casing.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the
invention will be more apparent from the ensuing detailed
description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side view of a conventional blower, partly in
longitudinal section, particularly showing in detail sealing means
arranged between a fitting flange member and a blower casing;
FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, showing a blower according to
one embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the fitting flange member
and casing of the blower shown in FIG. 2; and
FIG. 4 is an enlarged side view, partly in longitudinal section, of
essential parts of the blower of FIG. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring first to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a conventional
blower, by way of example. A casing 1 of the blower has a through
hole 2 formed in its rear end face, through which a motor 14
forming part of the main body 13 of the blower extends with a half
thereof projected to the outside. An annular fitting flange member
10 is fitted and rigidly secured on the motor 14 and has its outer
peripheral edge abutting against a peripheral portion of the rear
end face of the casing 1 surrounding the through hole 2 and secured
thereto by means of screws 18 to thus couple the blower main body
13 to the casing 1. A peripheral portion of the rear end face of
the casing 1 surrounding the through hole 2 and abutting on the
fitting flange member 10 is formed with two inner and outer annular
recesses or grooves 19 and 19 extending concentrically with the
through hole 2 of the casing 1. These grooves 19, 19 are filled
with sealing members 20 and 20 formed of urethane or a like
material to seal the clearance between the casing 1 and the fitting
flange member 10.
However, according to such sealing means, special discrete or
separately formed sealing members 20, 20 are required. In addition,
in mounting the blower main body 13 onto the casing 1, these
sealing members 20, 20 have to be fitted into the grooves 19, 19 in
the casing 1, requiring much trouble and much time.
FIGS. 2 through 4 illustrate a blower according to a preferred
embodiment of the present invention. The casing 1 has a through
hole 2 formed in a central portion of its rear end face and a joint
3 formed at an outer peripheral portion of the same rear end face
surrounding the same through hole 12. The joint 3 comprises an end
face peripheral edge portion 4 extending radially outward from the
through hole 2, an annular wall 5 axially projected from a radially
outward peripheral edge of the peripheral edge portion 4 in
concentricity with the through hole 2, and four first engaging
protuberances 6, each in the form of a plate, formed on a
peripheral end edge of the peripheral wall 5 remote from the
peripheral edge portion 4, at circumferentially equal intervals and
radially inwardly extending toward the center of the through hole
2. An engaging recess 8, 8' is defined between each of the first
engaging protuberances 6, the peripheral wall 5, and the end face
peripheral edge portion 4. Part 5a of the peripheral wall 5 is
projected in the radially outward direction, providing a slightly
larger diameter than the rest of the peripheral wall 5, and
accordingly the engaging recess 8' defined at this part 5a is
located at a larger distance from the center of the through hole 12
than the other engaging recesses 8. Each of the first engaging
protuberances 6 has a radial recessed groove 7 formed in its
outside surface at a substantially circumferential center.
At locations intermediate between adjacent engaging recesses 8 and
8, axially outwardly opening guide portions 9, 9' are defined
between the peripheral wall 5 and the end face peripheral edge
portion 4. These guide portions 9, 9' serve as guides for second
engaging protuberances 11 of the fitting flange 10, hereinafter
referred to, until the latter become engaged with the respective
engaging recesses 8, 8'. One 9' of the guide portions is located at
a larger distance from the center of the through hole 2 than the
other guide portions 9, because it is adjacent the engaging recess
8' within the outwardly projected part 5a of the peripheral wall
5.
The through hole 2 of the blower casing 1 has its inner peripheral
surface formed with an annular ridge 12 having a triangular
section, extending through the whole circumference and projected
inward toward the center of the through hole 12. This annular ridge
12 has its tip disposed in resiliently urging contact with an
opposed outer peripheral surface of the fitting flange member 10,
as described later. The annular ridge 12 may be applied to the
inner peripheral surface of the through hole 2, after being formed
from a separate material from that of the casing 1, as in the
illustrated embodiment. Alternatively, it may be formed integrally
with the casing 1 from a single-piece material.
The main body 13 of the blower comprises a motor 14 and a fan 15
secured on an output shaft, not shown, of the motor 14. The motor
14 is disposed to penetrate through the through hole 2 of the
casing 1 with its rear half projected to the outside, and carries
an annular fitting flange member 10 fitted and rigidly secured on
its outer peripheral surface.
The fitting flange member 10 has its outer peripheral edge formed
integrally with a peripheral wall 16 axially extending through its
whole circumference. The peripheral wall 16 has its outer
peripheral surface confronting the tip of the annular ridge 12 of
the casing 1 and disposed in resiliently urging contact therewith
to seal the clearance between the fitting flange 10 and the casing
1.
The peripheral wall 16 has an end remote from the flange main body
and forming an outer peripheral edge of the flange member 10, which
is formed integrally with four second engaging protuberances 11,
11' radially outwardly extending and arranged at circumferentially
equal intervals of 90 degrees, which are each fitted in a
corresponding one of the engaging recesses 8 of the casing 1. One
11' of the second engaging protuberances has a larger radial size
than those of the others, with its outer peripheral edge located
more radially outward than the others, so as to align with the
radially outwardly located engaging protuberances 8' of the casing
1. That is, this second engaging recess 11' and its corresponding
engaging recess 8' cooperatively serve as locating means for
locating the blower main body 13 into a predetermined
circumferential position in the casing 1.
Each of the second engaging protuberances 11, 11' has its outside
surface formed with a radial fitting projection 17 for fitting in
the fitting recessed groove 7 in the corresponding first engaging
protuberance 6, to lock the fitting flange member 10 in place in
the blower casing 1.
With the above arrangement, to mount the blower main body 13 onto
the casing 1, first, the fitting flange member 10 is fitted onto
the motor 14 of the main body 13 and rigidly secured thereto by
means of force fitting or by other suitable means, and then the
main body 13 is inserted through the through hole 2 of the casing 1
with its fan 15 located ahead. Then, the locating second engaging
protuberance 11' of the fitting flange member 10 is brought into
alignment with the locating guide portion 9' of the joint 3 of the
casing 1. Next, the tip of the annular ridge 12 on the inner
peripheral surface of the through hole 2 of the casing 1 comes into
resiliently urging contact with the outer peripheral surface of the
peripheral wall 16 of the fitting flange member 10, in such a
manner that it is suitably deformed toward the interior of the
casing 1, as clearly shown in FIG. 4, to seal the clearance between
the fitting flange member 10 and the casing 1. Further, due to the
resiliency of the annular ridge 12, the blower main body 13 is
automatically centered in the through hole 12 or has its axis
aligned with the center of the through hole 12. After this, the
fitting flange member 10 is rotated clockwise as viewed in FIG. 3
so that the fitting projection 17 of each second engaging
protuberance 11, 11' slidingly moves circumferentially on the
inside surface of the corresponding first engaging protuberance 6
of the fitting portion 3, while simultaneously forcing the same
protuberance 6 to be axially outwardly elastically deformed, until
the projection 17 becomes engaged in the fitting groove 7 of the
first engaging protuberance 6, thus engaging each of the second
engaging protuberance 11, 11' within the corresponding engaging
recess 8, 8' to couple the blower main body 13 to the casing 1.
Although in the illustrated embodiment the fitting flange member 10
is retained on the casing 1 by means of the engagement of the first
engaging protuberances 6 formed with the fitting grooves 7 with the
second engaging protuberances 11, 11' formed with the fitting
projections 17, the invention is not limited to this retaining
means. For instance, it may be formed by means which couples the
fitting flange member to the casing by means of screw-threaded
engagement.
As described above, according to the invention, since the annular
ridge 12 previously formed on the inner peripheral surface of the
through hole 2 in the casing 1 automatically comes into sealing
contact with the outer peripheral surface of the fitting flange
member 10 when the flange member is mounted on the casing 1, no
special discrete or separate sealing member is required, and the
time for assembling the blower is greatly reduced. Further, due to
the automatic centering of the blower main body with respect to the
casing, an accurate required amount of blown air can be obtained,
and also, the width of the annular ridge 12 can be made small,
facilitating the operation of forming or machining the annular
ridge.
Having described a specific embodiment of the invention, it is to
be understood that any variations will occur to those skilled in
the art within the scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *